Airline Pilots, Copilots, and Flight Engineers

Transportation, Distribution and LogisticsO*NET 53-2011.00United States

Pilot and navigate the flight of fixed-wing aircraft, usually on scheduled air carrier routes, for the transport of passengers and cargo. Requires Federal Air Transport certificate and rating for specific aircraft type used.

COMING SOON See related ASU learning

Median annual earnings: $229,667
Projected change: +6.7%
Typical education: Bachelor's degree
Employment: 152.42K jobs

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Build the skills

ASU learning related to this career

These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.

The work

What airline pilots, copilots, and flight engineers do

Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.

Use instrumentation to guide flights when visibility is poor.
Respond to and report in-flight emergencies and malfunctions.
Work as part of a flight team with other crew members, especially during takeoffs and landings.
Start engines, operate controls, and pilot airplanes to transport passengers, mail, or freight, adhering to flight plans, regulations, and procedures.
Inspect aircraft for defects and malfunctions, according to pre-flight checklists.
Contact control towers for takeoff clearances, arrival instructions, and other information, using radio equipment.
Monitor gauges, warning devices, and control panels to verify aircraft performance and to regulate engine speed.
Monitor engine operation, fuel consumption, and functioning of aircraft systems during flights.
Steer aircraft along planned routes, using autopilot and flight management computers.
Check passenger and cargo distributions and fuel amounts to ensure that weight and balance specifications are met.
Confer with flight dispatchers and weather forecasters to keep abreast of flight conditions.
Order changes in fuel supplies, loads, routes, or schedules to ensure safety of flights.
Brief crews about flight details, such as destinations, duties, and responsibilities.
Choose routes, altitudes, and speeds that will provide the fastest, safest, and smoothest flights.
Direct activities of aircraft crews during flights.
Record in log books information, such as flight times, distances flown, and fuel consumption.
Instruct other pilots and student pilots in aircraft operations and the principles of flight.
Make announcements regarding flights, using public address systems.

Pay and outlook

What the job pays and where it is heading

Annual earnings range

Reported earnings by percentile, United States

10th percentile: $105,068
25th percentile: $179,707
50th percentile: $229,667
75th percentile: $381,790
90th percentile: $464,792

The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $229,667 and half earn less.

Employment outlook

2025 to 2035 projection

+6.7%faster than average

2025152,423 jobs

2035 projected162,638 jobs

10,215 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.

Preparation

Education levels

What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.

Bachelor's degree: 61%
High school diploma or less: 26.2%
Associate degree: 6.3%
Certificate: 5.1%
Some college: 1.5%

Skills

Skills employers ask for

Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.

Federal Aviation Administration
Federal Aviation Regulations
Rotorcraft
Turbines
Flight Planning
Regulatory Documents
Aircraft Maintenance
Emergency Medical Services
Aviation
Passenger Service
R (Programming Language)
Community Outreach
Radio Operations
Service Level
Unmanned Aerial Systems (UAS)
Lifting Ability
Family Support
Data Analysis
IBM MQ
Law Enforcement Operations

How the work gets done

Core competencies

Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.

Operation and Control: Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
Operations Monitoring: Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
Active Listening: Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
Monitoring: Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
Critical Thinking: Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
Judgment and Decision Making: Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
Reading Comprehension: Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
Time Management: Managing one's own time and the time of others.
Active Learning: Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
Speaking: Talking to others to convey information effectively.
Coordination: Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
Complex Problem Solving: Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
Social Perceptiveness: Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
Systems Analysis: Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
Systems Evaluation: Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
Mathematics: Using mathematics to solve problems.
Writing: Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
Troubleshooting: Determining causes of operating errors and deciding what to do about it.
Quality Control Analysis: Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
Instructing: Teaching others how to do something.

In the market

Job titles and employers

Recent job postings in United States

Common job titles

01Helicopter Pilots1,578 postings
02Captains762 postings
03Line Pilots612 postings
04Pilots First Officer478 postings
05Pilots458 postings
06Fixed Wing Pilots362 postings
07Air Interdiction Agents332 postings
08Rotor Wing Pilots255 postings
09Pilots Captain202 postings
10First Officers199 postings
11Command Pilots140 postings
12Chief Pilots137 postings
13Battle Captains104 postings
14Test Pilots99 postings
15Lead Captains76 postings
16Aircraft Pilots67 postings
17Corporate Pilots59 postings
18Helicopter Mechanics52 postings
19Pilot Plant Supervisors51 postings
20Pilot Operators38 postings

Top employers

01Global Medical Response786 postings
02Air Methods465 postings
03Netjets461 postings
04U.S. Customs and Border Protections323 postings
05Med-Trans Corporation317 postings
06Air Evac Lifeteam305 postings
07Jet Methods164 postings
08Solairus Aviation142 postings
09Reach Air Medical Services131 postings
10Clay Lacy Aviation108 postings
11Guardian Flight103 postings
12Jet Aviation103 postings
13Accenture102 postings
14Total Aviation Staffing64 postings
15Skywest Airlines59 postings
16Lumen Technologies51 postings
17Life Flight Network49 postings
18STS Technical Services46 postings
19Intermountain Health41 postings
20Northrop Grumman41 postings

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